The present invention is directed to a novel burst disk. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a novel burst disk assembly that seals and secures the disk in a pressure retaining component.
Paint ball events provide the participant with an adventure in military strategy and the feel of the fear and exhilaration of battle and have become very popular. Generally participants are equipped with a gas projectile gun or rifle (which can launch a projectile without seriously harming the victim) and protective gear and are divided into two or more combat groups each with the goal of surviving the others. In a typical paintball event, participants fire projectiles, or paintballs, at one another and, when struck, are “painted” by the paint ball. The objective of such an event is to be the last person that has not been “painted” or hit with a projectile.
Typically, the projectiles used in these events are propelled using a compressed gas to avoid the potential dangers of explosives such as gun powder. Compressed gas is provided or supplied from a high-pressure source carried by the participant in a gas bottle. Although high-pressure gas is needed at the gun firing mechanism to propel the paint balls, typically the pressure in these bottles is greater than the pressure needed to safely propel the projectile within the parameters of the game. As such, it is necessary to regulate the pressure of the compressed gas provided to the gun firing mechanism to allow projectiles to be launched at a safer velocity and prevent damage to the gun. Typically, a regulator is provided, mounted to the gun or the compressed gas bottle.
Typically, pressure regulators are provided with gas at a high pressure and regulate the gas, emitting the gas at a lower pressure for use by the gun. Even though these devices are generally fairly rugged items, they do have their limitations. That is, there may be an upper pressure limit at the inlet or high pressure side and a set outlet or low pressure side.
In order to prevent overpressurizing the regulator or overpressurizing the downstream components (e.g., the paint ball gun), sacrificial elements are used to provide a vent path from the high or low pressurized region to an area of lower pressure, typically to the atmosphere. One type of sacrificial element is a burst disk. A burst disk is an element that is positioned within the pressurized region that has a failure pressure that is less than a maximum pressure for the system, but greater than a system operating pressure. Thus, if for some reason the pressure in the system exceeds the operating pressure, rather than reaching system “failure” pressure, the burst disk will fracture venting pressure from the system. The burst disk is thus a safeguard for the system components.
There are, however, no burst disk assemblies that permit readily and positively installing the assembly within a pressure regulator. Accordingly, there exists a need for a low cost, readily installable burst disk assembly that positively secures the disk within the assembly or housing. Desirably, such an assembly is configured such that the disk is more tightly held or secured to the regulator body as the assembly is secured to the regulator body.